Heater



. June 17, 1930. M. ALEX 1,764,139

HEATER Filed June 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 17, 1930.

M. ALEX HEATER Filed June 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 1 7, p 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v MAX ALEX, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE SUMMIT CORPORATION, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE HEATER Application filed June 2, 1928. Serial No. 282,485.

My invention relates to heaters and more particularly to water heaters or heaters of a similar type which are self-contained in charactor and which can be readily attached to any suitable fluid pipe so as to heat the water issuing therefrom.

My invention contemplates improved thermostatic control mechanism for this purpose and also contemplates improved structural features all as will be more readily apparent from the detailed description of one form of the device which I will now give in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating such preferred embodiment in which Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a heator constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a slightly modified form.

My improveddevice includes a container 11 which is suitably provided with an inlet mouth 12 into which a water or other fluid supply pipe 13 may be fitted so that the device itself can be easily mounted upon any such fluid supply pipe. The container 11 is likewise provided with a faucet 14 or other suitable outlet' control mechanism, said faucet being secured to the mouth 15. The container is thus adapted to serve as a small reservoir for the water entering into the pipe 13 into 'the container to be withdrawn therefrom as required by the faucet 14. The container has the closure plate 16 which is suitably fastened to the flanged upper extremity of the container by the bolts 17 through the interposition of a strengthening ring 18 as shown. Surmounting this closure plate is a terminal plate 19 and a thermostatic control structure 20. A cap or hood 21 is suitably mounted in place over the elements carried on top of the closure plate 16 so that the device presents a self-contained container-like appearance. v

- Acasing 22 extends downwardly into the container 11, said casing being suitably mounted upon the closure plate 16. Within I this casing 22 an electric heater 23 is provided.

A tube 24 is also mounted upon the closure plate 16 and extends downwardly into the casing 11. This tube preferably contains alcohol or similar fluid of high expansive powers fora purpose that will presently appear. Upon the closure late 16 is also mounted as already set fort a thermostatic structure 20 which communicates with the interior of the tube 24 as will presently appear.

The thermostatic structure consists of a support 25 having a duct 26 extending therethrough and which duct forms a continuation of the interior bore of the tube 24. This duct 26 extends to a hollow expansible element 27 and communicates with the interior of the said hollow expansible element. The free extremity of the said expansible element is closed and carries a block 28 which block has a pin 29 engaging a slot 30 provided in a crank 31. The crank 31 is rigidly secured to a shaft 32 which shaft rotates in bearings provided in the arms 33 and 34. This shaft at its lefthand extremity (Fig. 2) has suitable fingers 35 and 36 within which a contactor 37 is held. This contactor is of the usual variety having two electrodes therein whose circuit is closed by a mercury, the lever of which is shown at 38 in Fig. 1. When the contactor is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the circuit through the electrodes 39 and 40 is closed and when the contactor is revolved clockwise into its alternative position then the circuit through these two electrodes is opened. This contactor 37 is moved into its open circuit position whenever the tempera ture of the alcohol within the tube 24 reaches a predetermined higher value.

This contactor 37 is moved into its open circuit position whenever the temperature of the alcohol within the tube 24 reaches a predetermined higher value. The electric circuit extends from the lead-in conductor 41 by way of conductor 42 to the electrode 39, thence through the mercury to the electrode 40 and by way of conductor 43 to the heater 23 and then by way ofconductor 44 to the lead-in conductor 45. Thus whenever the circuit through the electrodes 39 and 40 is closed the heater 23 is in circuit and is heating the fluid the fluid in the container has reached a predetermined higher temperature, then the circuit through the electrodes 39 and 40 is broken.

It will thus be seen that if the faucet 14 is closed the fluid in the container 1 is heated to a predetermined amount whereupon the supply of current to the heater 23 is cut off. in

As soon as some of the water is being used by opening the faucet 14, then the temperature of the fluid in thecontainer 11 goes down whereupon the circuit is again closed through the electrodes 39 and 40 and the heater 23 is again put into circuit;- The heatr is so proportioned that the water passing through the container may be heated as the same is being withdrawn through the faucet 13, the arrangements, however, being such that there is always an initial supply of hot .vater in the container. 1

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3, it is contemplated that the same control mechanism shall be used and the container 11 together with the heater 23 are substantially the same as in Fig; 1. The expansion liquid containing tube 24" however, is surrounded by a pipe 47 which is connected with the in let pipe 13 so that the water entering the heater must pass through the pipe 47. At the upper end of pipe &7, the pipe 48 is connected and this.pipe extends downwardly to a point adjacent the bottom of container 11.

The purpose of this modified form is to obtain a quicker action of the controlling means to start the heater-when water is being withdrawn. Thus as soon as the outlet valve 14 is opened cold water coming up from the pipe 13 is brought into contact with the tube 2d and quickly cools the liquid therein to start the heater by operating-the control mechanism. Also the pipe 48 brings the cold water down to the lower part of container 11 so that the .full heating eflect of the heater is available to heat the incoming water before its discharge at the outlet.

From what has been thus described it is thought that my invention will be readily. clear to those skilled in the art and it will also be clear that modifications may readily be made without departing from the spirit.

Having, however, thus described one form which my invention may take, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described the combination with a casing having an inlet and an outlet, heating means associated with said casing for heating the fluid in said casing, contact means for controlling the flow of current through said heating means, a tube extending into said casing and having a portion in position to be encountered by fluid entering said inlet before the fluid passes said heating means, said tube containing a heat expanslble element and means responsive to the expansion and contraction of said element controlling said Contact means, said casing having a cover carrying said heating means, contact means and tube whereby they may be removed from said casing as a unit with-said cover.

2. A water heater comprising a casing, an let conduit entering said casing at the bottom thereof and extending upwardly into said casin toward the top, a cover for said casing having an enclosed electrical heating element and a temperature responsive means depending therefrom into said casing, said temperature, responsive means extending downwardly into said inlet conduit, means on said cover controlled by said temperature responsive means for controlling the flow of current through said heatingmeans, an outlet for saidcasing, and means communicating with said inlet conduit adjacent the top thereof for conducting water from said conduit downwardly into the lowerportion of said casing after it has passed said temperature responsive means.

3. A water heater comprising a casing, an inlet conduit entering said casing at the bottom thereof and extending upwardlyinto said casing toward the top, a cover for said casing having an enclosed electrical heating element and a temperature responsive means depending therefrom into said casing, said temperature responsive means extending downwardly into said inlet conduit, means on said cover controlled by said temperature responsive means for controlling the flow of current through said heating means, .an outlet for said casing, and means communicating with said inlet conduit adjacent the top thereof for conducting water from said conduit downwardly into the lower portion of said casing after it has passed said temperature responsive means, said heating element and said temperature responsive means being spaced from each other and from said casing and removable upwardly therefrom with said cover.

, 4. A water heater comprising a casing having a closed bottom and open top, an inlet conduit extending upwardly into said casing through said bottom, a closure for the top of said casing having a pair of depending tubes thereon closed at their lower ends, one of said tubes containing a heating element and the other tube containing an expansible fluid, said other tube extending down into said inlet conduit, means controlled by the expansion and contraction of said fluid for supplying energy to said heating element, and means communicating with the upper portion of said inlet conduitfor delivering water from said inlet conduit into the lower portion of said casing.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of-May A. D. 1928.

MAX ALEX. 

